Ahlul Bayt News Agency ; The Saudi Arabian Embassy in Thailand had granted visas to 3,000 Thai Muslims planning to undertake the Hajj religious pilgrimage to Mecca, Culture Minister Nipit Intarasombat said yesterday.
And it would grant a further 2,000 visas tomorrow, Nipit said. He expected all Thai pilgrims would get visas in time.
Nearly 400 Thai Muslims were granted visas in the initial batch, Nipit said last Tuesday.
Previously, there were concerns over the issuing of visas for Thai Muslims wanting to undertake the Hajj because of strained relations due to the promotion of a high-ranking police officer, allegedly involved in the disappearance and murder of a Saudi businessman in 1990.
Some Thai Muslims have had problems finding rental accommodation in Mecca, which has affected the issuing of visas. Nipit said a committee in charge of Hajj religious pilgrimage promotion in Thailand would meet with eight agencies that will take the Muslims to Mecca. The committee would get them to explain the problem on Tuesday. He urged affected pilgrims to file a civil case against the agencies, to demand compensation if the problem meant they were unable to visit Mecca.
End item/ 129